It goes like this: Dwight Howard travels to Los Angeles for back surgery four months ago, walks around Beverly Hills each day as part of his rehabilitation program, and routinely meets the same woman along the route.

It took four teams, 11 other players, five draft picks and countless rounds of talks over many months, but the Orlando Magic decided that Friday was the right time to start over without the NBA's best center and end a saga that has dogged the franchise for what seems like an eternity.

On the eve of Cleveland's rookies reporting to training camp, the Browns signed running back Trent Richardson to a four-year, $20.5 million contract and can now turn their attention to getting a deal done with quarterback Brandon Weeden.

A person familiar with the negotiations told the Associated Press on Monday night that Richardson's agent Jimmy Sexton and the Browns completed the deal, which includes a $13.3 million signing bonus. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team hasn't announced the signing. Richardson's deal reportedly doesn't contain any offset language, a provision that protects the Browns from having to pay him the full amount of his contract if he is released before the deal expires and signs elsewhere.

The Colts signed the Stanford quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in the draft to a four-year, $22.1 million deal on Thursday,

''12 is officially signed!!!!!!'' Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted, adding a photo of Luck signing his contract for good measure. Luck's agent and uncle, Will Wilson, confirmed the deal had been completed.

The deal is similar to the one signed by Cam Newton a year ago and the one signed this week by Robert Griffin III. Newton, last year's top pick, has a four-year, $22 million deal with Carolina and Griffin, who went No. 2 behind Luck in April's draft, signed a four-year contract with the Washington Redskins worth $21.1 million guaranteed, with a club option for a fifth year.

HOUSTON (AP) -- Say goodbye to Linsanity, New York. Jeremy Lin is taking his game off Broadway - way off - to Houston after the Knicks announced Tuesday night they would not match the Rockets' three-year, $25 million offer for the restricted free agent.

''Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again!!'' Lin posted on his Twitter account.

''Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support the past year...easily the best year of my life.''

The 23-year-old point guard, undrafted out of Harvard, became an international phenomenon and the biggest story in sports during one dazzling month in the Big Apple. But the Knicks decided keeping the show in town was too costly.

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins ended their contract impasse Wednesday when the rookie quarterback signed a four-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $21.1 million. It also includes a club option for a fifth year.

Griffin's agent, Ben Dogra, told The Associated Press that the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback agreed to terms and will be in Redskins rookie camp on Wednesday.

Griffin, the second overall pick in the draft out of Baylor, announced the news on Twitter, writing, ''Well people....It's Time to go to Work!!! Off the unemployment line and oh yea HTTR!!!''

The latter stands for ''Hail To The Redskins,'' the team's fight song.

The Ravens and Rice, their most versatile offensive weapon, went down to the 4 p.m. deadline before hammering out the deal. Had Rice not signed, he would have played the 2012 season under the $7.7 million franchise tag tender.

Instead, he will get $17 million this year and $8 million in 2013.

Baltimore has made the playoffs in each of Rice's four seasons, twice advancing to the AFC title game. He earned his second Pro Bowl invite last year after leading the NFL with 2,068 yards from scrimmage, including a career-high 1,364 yards rushing. He also scored a career-best 15 touchdowns.

Since being drafted out of Rutgers in the second round of the 2008 draft, Rice leads the NFL in receptions and yards receiving by a running back. He's had 250 catches for 2,235 yards during that span.

By ANDREW SELIGMAN (AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press
Pro Bowl running back Matt Forte and the Chicago Bears have agreed to a four-year contract, settling the biggest issue hanging over the team.

The Bears confirmed the deal before Monday's deadline. Had the sides not reached an agreement, Forte would have had to play next season for $7.74 million after being hit with the franchise player tag. Or he could have held out.

The Bears did not release terms and agent Adisa Bakari did not return calls seeking comment. The Chicago Sun-Times, citing an unidentified source, reported the deal is worth $32 million with more than $18 million guaranteed.

With Forte signed, the Bears will have all their key pieces in place when training camp starts next week.

''I'm proud to be a Chicago Bear and excited to be here for another four years,'' Forte said in a statement released by the Bears. ''I'd like to thank my family, my agent and the Chicago Bears. I've been working hard this offseason and am looking forward to joining my teammates at training camp next week. I'm glad the business part is done and we can all turn our attention to football and our goal of winning a championship.''